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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!﻿

The people of Charles Town had fallen on hard times. Coins were harder than ever to find, and the British government had passed laws preventing the use of paper currency in South Carolina.

This week's choice:The Book of Neogroes by Lawrence Hill Originally published January 2007 I seem to have trouble dying. By all rights, I should not have lived this long. But I still can smell trouble riding on any wind, just as surely as I could tell you whether it is a stew of chicken necks or pigs' feet bubbling in the iron pot on the fire. And my ears still work just as good as a hound dog's. People assume that just because you don't stand as straight as a sapling, you're deaf. Or that your mind is like pumpkin mush. The other day, when I was being led into a meeting with a bishop, one of the society ladies told another, "We must get this woman into Parliament soon. Who know how much longer she'll be with us?" Half bent though I was, I dug my fingers into her ribs. She let out a shriek and spun around to face me. "Careful," I told her, " I may outlast you!"

1. Harry Potter - Even though the books are YA, they are very engrossing books and take you to a place that basically doesn't exist. And while the books get darker and heavier as the series moves on, they are very enjoyable.

2. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - I suppose it doesn't help that I read this book last summer, but how book read, it definitely felt like a summer read. The language in the book is such that the words melt in your mouth as you read the book, almost like a popsicle does.

3. Along for the Ride - Just as any good summer book should be fairly light and fluffy, it should also be set either in a location that is sunny or near a beach, even if one isn't near a beach. As one review on Goodreads said, "Reading Sarah Dessen is like walking into an air-conditioned store after a hot, humid day in the sun. Reading Sarah Dessen is also like drinking an ice-cold…

Its funny what can get me in the mood to read, but its also interesting what can get me in the mood to not read. Several things can get me in a mood that I don't want to read anything:

• A Canucks win in the playoffs. For me that's a strange one due to the fact that I am fairly big Canucks fan, but I suppose the fact that I am in such a good mood and am on Cloud 9 and therefore can't concentrate on reading

• A really bad Canucks loss anytime. I am so hyper over the fact that they had a bad loss that I can't concentrate properly and am so wrapped up in the emotion that comes with a really bad loss, even if they make it a close game in. For example, Game 3 in the Western Conference final I got so p---ed off due to some stupid moves by a player on the opposing team. Even though I didn't exactly watch the game, I got so mad, that my concentration focused on other things and my mind went wacko. Really bad losses tend to get me in a sour mood and therefore the co…

This week The Blue Bookcase asks:Tell about one author that you love and why his or her writing is unique. Please be specific.

This is a loaded question, as I could probably tell you why I love reading, but I don't know if I can put the specifics into the answer like some of the other responses that I have read. But if I have to, I suppose I will give it the old college try. Here I go...

One author that I love is Jane Austen. I realize that is a cop-out due to the fact there are a lot of readers who like her and it may sound cheesy, but I really do like her. One reason that I like her is that for a single woman of her era, she is insightful into human relationships and it seems that her insight is quite good. She also does it with a humanity that a reader in the 21st century can understand, along with humor and grace that makes her books readable.

I realize that I didn't exactly go into detail and specifics as to why I love Jane Austen, but I tried my best. Once again, …

As those that read this blog on a regular basis, you know that I have a passion for all things reading and books; it was something that was instilled in me at an early age and something that has carried on for about 30 years.

But there is something else that I am equally passionate about and even though I have only followed them on a regular basis for the past 17 years, they would be considered to be my second passion in life. They have caused me great consternation at times, but also they have caused great joy and great anticipation. They have caused me great heartache and made me wonder why I even bother follow them at times and have made me to lose sleep on a number of nights wondering if they will ever live up to my expectations. Well, not just my expectations, but they are probably largely responsible for my nails never to really grow to a length that I would like (there are other reasons as well too, but they are the main reason).

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

My answers:
1. What am I currently reading?
Same books as last week. I have added Twilight's Serenade to the pile, but only in spurts.

2. What have I recently finished reading?
Nothing. I haven't gotten anything done for about a month and a half, which coincides with not only the NHL playoffs, but also the fact that I am currently reading multiple books at the moment and trying to finish Outlander.

This week's choice:Outlander by Gabaldon October 9, 2001- Doubleday It wasn't a very likely place for disappearances, at least at first glance. Mrs. Baird's was like a thousand other Highland bed-and-breakfast establishments in 1945; clean and quiet, with fading floral wallpaper, gleaming floors, and a coin-operated hot-water geyser in the lavatory. Mrs. Baird herself was squat and easygoing, and made no objection to Frank lining her tiny rose-sprigged parlor with the dozens of books and papers with which he always traveled.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!﻿

It wasn't a very likely place for disappearances, at least at first glance. Mrs. Baird's was like a thousand other Highland bed-and-breakfast establishments in 1945; clean and quiet, with fading floral wallpaper, gleaming floors, and a coin-operated hot-water geyser in the lavatory.

Saw this come through my email this afternoon and I thought that I would give this a try.

I didn't finish anything this month, as I know that the Canucks playoff run has taken a huge portion of my time, but I have been reading off and on throughout the month. I also know that it is due to the fact that I am reading multiple books at once, which I realize is a stupid habit, but I can do it, especially when the books are very different in their tone, etc.

So if you must know what is on my nightstand that I am reading, they are:
• Outlander - this book finally grabbed me at around the 250 page mark and the book just seems to be going by really quickly right now

• A Love to Last Forever - my easy read. I realize that I have known disdain for Christian romance fiction, but it is so addicting that I can't help but read the genre. Also Tracie Peterson is a pretty good writer and I have like some of her books in the past.

This is my first Mailbox Monday and the book I purchased this past weekend didn't come through the mail, but bought it through a local store. I purchased What Happened to Goodbye. I am a huge fan of Sarah Dessen, even though her books aren't necessarily in my demographic age, but I really like her style and its the perfect book for some summer reading.

I had been wanting to get this book ever since I had heard a new book would be out this spring. Hope its as good as the others that I have read by her.

Follow Friday asks this week: Its circle time. Time for us to open up and share. Can you tell FIVE quirky habits or things about you?
• I read while playing the alphabet game. I started it over 10 years ago and its just become habit. Its slow, but at least I can get my way through books.
• I always put on close captioning when watching TV, when possible. Live programming I tend to take it off or when the cc are not the way I want them to be. Same thing goes for movies.
• I sign out way too many books than I can possibly read/handle.
• I like to listen to the radio in order to get to sleep
• I can't really watch kissing scenes in movies.

This week Crazy for Books asks: If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?

Honestly I don't know what fictional world I would choose. I have entered so many worlds that I couldn't just pick one. But if I had to pick one, I would probabl…

Booking Through Thursday asks this question: What do you think of censoring books BECAUSE of their intended age? Say, books too “old” for your kids to read?

Since I don't have kids, I have to do this hypothetically. I wouldn't allow my kids to read books that would be deemed too old, especially if the content in the book was something that was geared for a 16 year old and the reader was under 14 or 15. I wouldn't want my kids to be exposed to material that potentially they couldn't understand, especially if there are sexual references in the book. And especially if the book has adult issues that come up in the book. I suppose the best thing a parent could do would be to have some guidelines as to what can be and can't be read rather than a complete ban.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

My answers:
What are you currently reading? I am currently reading quite a bit, but mainly I am reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Book of Negroes: a novel by Lawrence Hill, and War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

What did you recently finish reading? Nothing. I haven't finished a book in about a month.

What do you think you'll be reading next? Probably one of the numerous books that I have borrowed from the library. More likely will be reading the newest Shopaholic book, Mini Shopaholic.

1. Mrs. Fairfax from Jane Eyre. She was really the first adult that took an interest in Jane and had a real impact on how she viewed others.

2. Bessy from North and South. Even though I have only viewed the mini series that came out a few years ago, she came across as the first true friend that Margaret makes when her family moves to Milton.

3. Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Is the voice of reason in the book, even though at times he isn't the voice of reason.

4. Snape from the Harry Potter series. Even though he isn't beloved like most of the teacher's in the series, he is the one that acts the most nobly of the teachers.

5. Richard Mason from Jane Eyre. His coming heralds the disclosure of the secret of Mr. Rochester.

6. St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre. Even though Jane comes to care for him, his wanting her to do something other than what she wants to do reveals Jane's feelings…

I just watched an interesting segment on CBC's The National that said that reading amongst teens is up about 40%. I can't recall the amount of years that they did the survey over, but it was at least the last 10 years. Part of the reason that they cited in the report was the fact that YA fiction has taken on more of an adult tone and deals more of what teens and pre-teens are going through and is much more realistic than the teen and tween books that I read growing up. No Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins for these kids. Even I have noticed it while working in an elementary school library. The books seem to be more complex than what I grew up with and I hope that these teen readers continue to read into their adult years.

Follow Friday asks this week: What is the most emotional scene in a book that you have read lately?

If you mean lately, within the last few months, than I would have to say the final third of Unbroken by Laura Hilenbrand. It was the most amazing emotional journey that I went on. It was not only gripping, but it was also so emotionally wrenching that I still remember it 4 months later. I can never recall crying as hard as I had when I read those final chapters.

This week Crazy for Books asks: Are you going to Book Expo America (BEA) and/or the Book Blogger Convention (BBC) this year?

Simple answer: no. If they were being held in Seattle, I would consider it. I don't make enough money to consider going and I would have to make it a priority through out the year in order to go.

This weeks question: What books have you read that have been hyped as literary and, in your opinion, were not?

Personally I felt that A Visit from the Goon Squad was not literary and should have categorized as being a collection of short stories. I realize that I might get some flack for this choice, but from my perspective, the book had no continuity and no flow to the book. It seemed to me to be a bunch of stories that were loosely connected to each other.

1) Pride and Prejudice - First read this book after the BBC mini-series came out and I loved it. When I hadn't read it for over a decade, I fell in love with it again. Now that I am reading it once again, I am finally admiring Austen's genius.

2) Jane Eyre - Read this book when I was in grade 8 and its one that I have loved and revisited since. And especially in my adult years, I have really come admire the book.

3) East of Eden - Read this book back when Oprah used this as one of her book selections a number of years ago and really enjoyed it. Read it again a few years later and really caught the nuances of the book and really appreciated its grandeur.

4) The Robber Bride - My first truly adult novel that I read when I was 15. This book allowed me to journey into a world that I had previously avoided and when I first read this book, I really couldn't turn back. It was a turning point…